Class meetings
for safe and caring
schools
By: Gene Gauthier
assisted by Charlotte Bragg and
Vicki Mather
Class meetings
for safe and caring
schools
By: Gene Gauthier
assisted by Charlotte Bragg and
Vicki Mather
Developed under agreement with the Minister of Education,
province of Alberta, Canada.
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities, 11010 142
Street NW, Edmonton AB T5N 2R1.
© 1999 by The Alberta Teachers’ Association
Published 1999
Revised © 2006 by The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and
Communities
All rights reserved.
Printed in Canada
Any reproduction in whole or in part without prior written consent of
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities is prohibited.
ISBN 1-897324-14-6
This booklet was authored by Gene Gauthier
and assisted by Charlotte Bragg and Vicki Mather.
Class Meetings for Safe and
Caring Schools
Holding class meetings1 can be an effective way to decrease
school discipline problems, thereby promoting a safe and caring
environment. This democratic problem-solving approach
serves to enhance responsible behaviour. This booklet discusses
the philosophical basis of holding class meetings and provides
instruction on class meetings in your classroom. Teachers will
need to adapt the strategies and examples provided to make them
suitable for the age group they are teaching. Class meetings have
been used successfully with students from primary grades through
to high school.
The concept of class meetings is developed by Frank Meder (1982).
1
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
1
Purpose of class meetings
The purpose or aim of class meetings is for the teacher and students
to collaboratively assist each other to solve social and curricular
problems in an atmosphere of mutual respect and dignity.
The approach of class meetings is to work on the first three or four
incidents (minor conflicts) of misbehaviour before they become
major, full-scale discipline problems.
This method is a democratic problem-solving approach, in which
students are given the autonomy to become self-disciplined,
responsible individuals. Through the process of encouragement
and the application of logical consequences, class meetings develop
self-esteem, self-confidence and feelings of worth within each
student. The main objective is to foster responsible behaviour
2
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Adlerian concepts and principles
The philosophy behind the concept of class meetings is based
on the psychological principles of Alfred Alder (1870–1937). It
is therefore helpful to be familiar with a few basic principles of
Adlerian psychology as outlined below.
Humans are social beings
In Adlerian psychology, humans are seen as inherently social beings;
human problems are therefore regarded as social problems that
require the cooperation of others to solve. Thus, the more one
cooperates with others, the healthier one becomes psychologically.
The aim of class meetings is to train children early in life to
effectively solve social problems through collaboration with their
peers.
Purposive behaviour
Since humans are social beings, all behaviour is directed toward
social acceptance; that is, children need to feel accepted, to feel
significant, to feel a sense of belonging. Thus, behaviour is
purposive; it is directed toward securing a sense of belonging.
Class meetings give children the opportunity to participate and
achieve a sense of belonging. Participation in class meetings can
show children that attention and significance can be achieved
through useful, constructive means, rather than through mistaken
attempts to attain significance through useless, negative means
(misbehaviour).
Encouragement
Children who misbehave are “discouraged” or “without heart”;
that is, they have not learned how to gain significance in useful
ways. Through negative reinforcement, they have mistakenly
learned to become significant through useless behaviour, by
seeking undue attention, power or revenge, or by giving up and
assuming inadequacy (feeling they can’t become significant at all).
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
3
Class meetings reduce this misbehaviour and serve to encourage or
enhance self-esteem, allowing children to gain a sense of belonging
through constructive behaviour.
Holism
Adlerian psychology has a holistic emphasis that maintains that
the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Thus, the study of a
human being should not be compartmentalized. To understand a
person, one must study how that person interacts with his or her
total environment, and with other people. Thus, in a therapeutic
setting, a family-systems approach is taken, whereby the counselor
works with the whole family to improve relationships.
Because the classroom is viewed as a large family, class meetings
serve to improve relationships between and among peers.
4
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Frank Meder’s Class Meeting
Model
Class meeting components
The best time to introduce this program is the first week of the
school year. The classroom teacher can introduce the concepts in
the order outlined below. The components are taught and practised
before the first class meeting is held.
Day One—Formation of a circle
The circle formation is essential in creating a democratic
atmosphere and promoting good communication skills. The circle
symbolizes and promotes a sense of equality among classmates. It
allows everyone to see everyone else’s facial expressions and body
language.
Teach kids how to get from rows into a circle—“Two Q’s, quickly
and quietly!” Don’t let 35 students rush at once. Structure is
important. Teach
in chunks.
When teaching the circle formation, prompt children to suggest
ways to get their desks out of the classroom structure and into the
circle. In this way, students are already developing problem-solving
techniques and learning that the solutions are student-directed, not
teacher-directed.
Begin with one row at a time while others watch. Proceed to the
next row and the next, and so on. The idea is to move the desks to
the periphery of the classroom, placing the chairs in front of the
desks. Students sit quietly in their chairs while the next row moves.
The teacher puts his/her chair in place, then calls students one at a
time to form a circle. The teacher sits in the circle with the students.
If the chairs are connected to the desks, then move each student
and his or her desk one at a time as described above.
Once the children are in a circle, have them notice their spot in
relation to something stationary in the room. They should also
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
5
notice who is seated to their left, right and across from them so they
will be able to move to the same spot for subsequent meetings.
The rest of this session is spent having students practise getting in
and out of the circle in a quick and quiet manner.
Hint: Teachers may develop a seating plan for many reasons. It is
easier if students move to the same spot every meeting. This avoids
children fighting about who sits beside whom. (For example,
“Yesterday we were friends. Today, I don’t want to sit beside . . .”)
It is better to have children sitting in chairs or desks rather than
sitting on the floor, as it is easier to establish one’s private space.
Hint: Use a stopwatch—students love to keep track of their own
“personal best” time getting into and out of the circle quickly and
quietly. Skilled students take between 15–30 seconds.
Day Two—Compliments
Class meetings should always begin on a positive note. After the
students have formed their circle, Day Two is spent teaching pupils
about encouragement. Self-esteem is enhanced by helping students
recognize each other for their positive contributions, allowing them
to gain acceptance.
Instruct students on how to give and receive compliments. Why
is this necessary? Adults are often poor at giving and receiving
compliments. We give them for material things, training children to
compliment for material things rather than acceptable behaviour. (An
example of a good compliment is, “You did a great job tidying up
the books today! They were stacked neatly on the shelf which will
make it easy for us to find them later.”)
Teach pupils that compliments are something you say to someone,
or a group of people, to tell them what they did that you appreciate.
Compliments are statements of encouragement about something
someone did for you, or with you, or something nice to help
another person.
Compliments should emphasize the behaviour or the deed, not the
doer. Promote the idea that compliments should emphasize what
a person has done that is acceptable, not just what the person
possesses or who they are.
6
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Compliment format
Compliments may be given to one or two students by saying: “I’d
like to compliment
, and
for
.”
If more than two people are to be complimented, say: “I’d like to
compliment all those who
.”
(This can be used to save time.)
“Thank you”
Train students to say “thank you” after receiving a compliment, to
let the other person know that the compliment was heard and that
they were listening. This promotes respect.
Have students practise giving compliments. Go around the circle
calling each student by name. Students can then either give a
compliment to a peer or pass. (This allows the student to think of a
compliment without being put on the spot.)
The second time around, the teacher calls on the students who
passed. If students put up their hand after the second time around,
they will have to wait till the next class meeting. (Only go around
twice to save time for the rest of the meeting.)
Pitfalls to avoid
Compliment refusals
For the student who refuses to give a compliment, have other
students give a compliment that they would give if they were
[Billy].
For example, “Would anyone like to give a compliment if you were
[Billy], and we’ll see if he likes any of the suggestions?” Then the
teacher says, “Billy do any of these sound exciting to you?” “No,
not really,” replies Billy, “But the one about walking home doesn’t
sound bad.” Well, do you want to use that one?” responds the
teacher.
Hint: Notice in the example that the teacher didn’t back the child
into a corner. Instead, the teacher allowed other students to work
on him. If children are forced to give compliments, they give poor
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
7
compliments—“plastic fuzzies,” fake or phony compliments or end
up engaging in a power struggle.
Material compliments
Compliments are not given for material things, such as clothes.
Give compliments for realistic things, deeds, and for things people
have done, behaviour.
Talk to the students about not “buying” compliments. For example,
students shouldn’t go home and say, “Mommy, take me out
shopping so I can get a compliment tomorrow.”
The “best friend” compliment
When a student says, “I’d like to compliment
for being
my best friend,” politely discourage this kind of complimenting
by letting pupils know that this can be hurtful to others. Help the
children understand that if we say that someone is best, that means
that someone else is less than best. This is discouraging.
Should best friend compliments occur in a meeting, ask the student
giving the compliment, “Would you give a compliment to
for what he/she did that shows you she/he is a good friend or is a
friendly person?”
Multiple compliments
Each person may only give one compliment per meeting. If
students indicate that they have more than one compliment to give,
say, “Give us your best one today, and save the next one for the
next meeting.”
“Back-stabbing” compliments
Negative compliments need to be discouraged. An example of
a poor compliment would be, “I’d like to compliment Fred on
playing a great soccer game and not bugging me.”
“Don, can you rephrase that sentence with only the compliment?”
By getting the class to decide, the power is taken from the
individual student.
The “uncomplimented”
The teacher can compliment the whole class for genuine classroom
improvements and give each student a compliment in the circle.
8
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
He/she can give the student, who doesn’t get many circle
compliments, some throughout the day.
Here are some suggestions to inspire creative compliments in your
classroom. Tell the students to consider the following:
• Prepare two or three compliments to give—in case your first
choice was given by someone else!
• Give a unique compliment to a person you haven’t
complimented before or for a behaviour you haven’t seen
before.
• Imagine what it would be like if you never received a
compliment. Keep in mind that you want to give compliments
to different people.
Hint: Students enjoy keeping an “encouragement booklet.” They
can write examples during the week and select one prior to the
class meeting.
Hint for Starting Out: For the first 5 days of the compliments
segment, name sticks can be used as a written assignment. The
teacher can add some compliments to the list of students who did
receive only a few compliments. All students will have an equal
amount of compliments. The compliments could be displayed on
a bulletin board with each student’s picture and/or sent home
with the newsletter. At the beginning of the year, try printing the
students’ names on popsicle sticks and putting them in a colorful
can. Have each student draw the name of someone to compliment.
This is helpful when students are just starting out and may not be
sure who to compliment.
Be careful not to force students to give compliments, as described
above. Compliments should come from the heart.
Hint: Compliment time can be the most encouraging part of the
day for some students. Teachers also find that the compliments can
be the most fruitful part of the class meeting as they can see the
resulting increase in the self-esteem level of the children.
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
9
Day Three—Agenda
As with most adult meetings, class meetings are never held without
an agenda. If children are going to be making decisions during
class meetings, what are they going to be making decisions on? The
agenda comprises social problem-solving matters and curricular
concerns, such as planning a field trip, planning a class party or
planning other academic projects that the teacher and students
work on together.
Discuss how the agenda will be made up. The agenda can be a
loose-leaf folder or notebook placed on a counter top or in any
other convenient and visible location.
Students are responsible for adding items to the class meeting
agenda on their own time. If they are too young, the teacher can
assist them.
Hint: Students are taught to try to solve problems on their own
before placing items on the agenda. However, if the problem
persists, they should place the item on the agenda (so as not to
promote tattling). Students should, however, be encouraged to
report behaviour that is harmful to another person, like bullying
and instigator. The instigator is a student who steps in to tease
the bully, then backs away to watch the result. “The person who
is accused is identified...” The accused person should never be
identified, even in the classroom. The self-esteem at all times is
paramount.
It is important that students understand that they are not to
add items to the agenda during class time while the teacher is
instructing. They are responsible for doing this on their own time.
(Therefore, the agenda item must be important to that individual.)
Discuss with the children when to add items to the agenda.
Some good times are when they are leaving for morning recess,
lunchtime, afternoon recess or on their way home. Discourage
students from writing in the agenda immediately after coming in
from recess, as a cooling off period can be important.
Hint: Allow a few minutes before the listed times above.
10
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Teach and consistently reinforce the importance of confidentiality.
What is discussed in class meetings should not be shared with
others outside the classroom. Names of the accused should not be
written on the agenda which could be read by others who are not
members of the class. The person who is accused can be identified
during the class meeting if the student who wrote the problem on
the agenda wishes to pursue a solution.
Hint: If students are old enough to understand, teach them about
the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act while
discussing the importance of confidentiality. Remind students often
to focus on solving the problem behaviour and not the person.
How to use the agenda
For students who can write
1. Write your name on the agenda.
2. In parenthesis, write down the problem.
NAME:
Dan
Jan
Teacher
PROBLEM:
(A student in our class tripped me during soccer.)
(Someone stole my pen. My pen is missing.)
(Book shelves are untidy.)
For students who can’t write
There are several ways this can be handled, however, the teacher
usually writes the students’ names and their concerns in the
agenda.
Hint: Teachers say that the process of recording items on the
agenda can be as important (or even more important) as discussing
the items during the class meeting. For example, when a student
complains to a teacher about a peer, the teacher listens and
respectfully says, “That sounds like something you may want to
place on the agenda!” This takes the teacher “off the hook” from
dealing with the issue at that moment. This teaches independence
and encourages children to solve their own problems without adult
intervention. However, teachers should be sensitive to reports that
may involve bullying. If a bullying issue is not successfully dealt
with through classroom meetings other measures must be taken.
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
11
Refer to the bullying booklets in this series for more information on
the topic of bullying.
Problems are often solved before they are placed on the agenda.
For example, “If you don’t give back that ball, it’s going on the
agenda!” is a veiled threat. The student could be told to say, “You
are being disrespectful”. If the incident is not solved, then he/she
will know that it will be an agenda item. Items may also be placed
on the agenda but solved before the class meeting. For example,
Janet places the issue of missing pencils on the agenda. Ron sees
it and says, “Oh Jan, here are your pencils. I found them in my
desk. I didn’t realize I had them.” The problem is solved before the
meeting and can be skipped over when it comes up on the agenda.
Hint: Meetings should not go beyond 30 minutes at the upperelementary level.
If you don’t cover all the items on the agenda, continue from where
you left off at the next meeting. If not held daily, meetings should
be held at least three times a week. Otherwise, the agenda items can
become backlogged. If problems aren’t solved within a reasonable
time frame, students become discouraged and class meetings
lose their value. Problems revert to getting the teacher to resolve
everything. This leads to stress, burnout . . . and unsafe, uncaring
schools.
How can you rationalize taking time for class
meetings?
Add up the time you currently take trying to control discipline. You
will find more time is spent on discipline than for class meetings.
Without the meetings, teachers can become stressed by attempting
to solve the students’ problems, rather than training them how to
resolve their own issues.
Days Four and Five—Natural and logical
consequences
Students are trained to differentiate consequences from
punishment. Punishment is unacceptable in a democratic classroom
or in a safe and caring school.
12
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Consequences are an alternative to autocratic punishment. The
aim of consequences is to assist children to become responsible
for their own behaviour and thus, self-disciplined individuals.
Consequences should help children learn more appropriate ways to
behave.
Natural consequences
Introduce the concept of natural consequences on Day Four with
the following role play:
Imagine that this morning you got up to go to school and you
were hungry, so you made some Tosties. You poured milk on
your cereal and began to gobble it down, when suddenly, you
looked at the clock, only to discover that it was time to rush
off to school. No one was left at home and you hurried off to
school. On the way there, you realized that you forgot to finish
your cereal or put the milk away.
What is the natural consequence that will happen before you get
home?
Hint: Do not accept answers with human involvement.
Discuss possible natural consequences for these situations. What’s
the natural consequence of the following situations?
• If mom or dad doesn’t put gas in the car
• If the dishes are not washed for a week
• If the shingles blow off the house and you don’t fix them
• If you don’t brush your teeth
• If you don’t take a bath
• If you go outside in the winter without a coat
Hint: Help children to realize that natural consequences are
arranged by nature and not by people.
Logical consequences
Logical consequences occur when people arrange the consequence.
Explain to the students that, because we are social beings, social
problems arise. Nature cannot solve these issues, so we need to
learn how to solve these problems ourselves.
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
13
Explain to the students that most of the problems placed on the
agenda will be solved through logical consequences. The class will
come up with the consequences together, after they have learned a
few guidelines.
The “Four Rs” of logical consequences
Before a consequence can be logical it must be
1. Related: Explain that this means goes with, has something to do
with, belongs to, is like. For example, you forgot to set the table
when it was your turn so your father asks you to clear the table
after dinner.
2. Reasonable: Explain that this means not too easy or simple, not
too severe or difficult, something just right. For example, Marnie
broke Yuet’s pencil so Marnie was asked to use money from
her allowance to buy Yuet a new pencil. Many students do not
receive an allowance and some students have pencils provided
to them.
Another example might be, “You broke someone else’s toy/game,
a reasonable result would be to replace it with your own money.
If you do not have any money, you will have to work at home or
school to earn some money to pay for it.
#3. For example, be replaced with: If you call someone a nasty
name, you are being disrepectful to that person. The consequences
will be that you will lose a good friend, or many friends because
other students will notice how you treat others. Continue with:
“Remind students...”
Teacher Note: The student’s anonymity is paramount.
3. Respectful: If a consequence is going to be respectful, it must
not hurt anybody’s feelings or make him or her feel bad. For
example, Braeden called Alf a nasty name. We wouldn’t suggest
that Alf call Braeden a nasty name as a consequence because
that would be disrespectful. Instead, we might ask Braeden if
he could think of two genuine compliments and tell them to
Alf. Remind the class that the purpose of class meetings is to
help one another solve problems. We’re not out to get others,
to punish, hurt or make others feel bad about themselves, but to
14
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
help them learn from their misbehaviour. Everyone should be
left with his or her dignity intact.
4. Responsible: Explain that the person responsible for the
problem is held accountable for the consequence, not someone
else. #4. Explain to the students that we are responsible for our
own behaviour and accountable for the consequences of it. We
always have choices.
A consequence must fit all “Four Rs” to be a consequence;
otherwise it will likely be a punishment.
Class meetings are designed to be helpful, if a decision is not
helpful, then one of the “Four Rs” is not being followed and the
decision could be punishing. Punishment causes or encourages
people to get even or be revengeful. It results in unsafe and uncaring
schools.
Hint: If the “Four Rs” are listed on a poster or bulletin board the
students will be able to refer to them during class meetings and will
be reminded of them throughout the day. The “Four Rs” of logical
consequences are on a magnet and are available from the ATA’s
SACS Project.
The following examples may be used to teach students the
difference between logical consequences and punishment.
Instructions
K–3 can continue using circle time to discuss incidents as they arise
or
from the list below.
1. Divide the class into groups of three or four. Have the groups
choose roles: leader, secretary/reporter, timer and so on.
2. Present each group with one or two of the following problems
and have them brainstorm several possible solutions for each.
• Name-calling at morning recess.
• Kicking people during a soccer game.
• Trouble getting into line after lunch.
• Spitting on benches during gym.
• Switching seats on the bus.
• Wandering around the room during science class.
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
15
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Wasting time during library period.
Improper use of the restroom.
Not doing exercises during Phys. Ed.
Swearing at the lunch table.
Tardiness after lunch.
Not turning in homework.
Stealing pencils.
Laughing at another student who is showing negative or
painful behaviour
• Not allowing certain students to join in games at recess.
3. After 15–20 minutes, have each group secretary report their
possible solutions to each problem.
4. With the class as a whole, review which answers violate the
“Four Rs” criteria and which could be retained as a possible
logical consequence to be implemented by a class.
Hint: Remember, every item on the agenda doesn’t have to have
a consequence. Several agenda items may be dropped when they
come up because they are no longer important to the person who
placed them on the agenda or the problem may have been resolved.
(Isn’t it wonderful that the problems can be solved without the
teacher’s immediate intervention?)
Sometimes a decision cannot be agreed upon, so the situation is
merely discussed. For example, if a kickball was kicked up on the
roof the situation may be discussed without a consequence being
applied. (The natural consequence—that is, no ball to play with—
may be enough especially if such a situation seldom happens.) The
pupils may have reached a consensus that nothing will happen
this time until it gets put on the agenda again. For example...(the
natural consequence of the ball being kicked up on the roof...)”. The
consequence is that all students have to go without a ball because
of the action of one or more students. If a person had kicked hisown
ball on the roof, this would be a just action.
Solutions vs. consequences
Sometimes it is hard to tell if something is a solution or a
consequence; sometimes they may be a little of both. The solution
may be that nothing will be done about what happened this time.
16
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
But, the class will discuss a remedy to prevent the problem from
occurring again. For example, Bertha put a behaviour on the
agenda that involved James throwing her papers down on the floor.
James admitted to the behaviour. The teacher asked James what
he thought should happen. James said, “I don’t know, let the class
make some suggestions.” Some class suggestions were, “I think
he should apologize to Bertha,” “Write an apology,” “I think that
from now on, he shouldn’t let go until Bertha takes the papers from
him” and “I think we should move him to the back of the row, so
he won’t be able to throw anyone’s papers but his own.” (The latter
was the class’s decision.)
Often a discussion about a concern will bring about positive
change, without a consequence.
Example should be anonymous. Moving the student to the back of
the row is punishment. Write an apology is a respectable way to
handle it.
Video presentation
Teachers have found the “Class Meeting Video with Frank Meder”
and his class to be helpful in giving students a visual model of an
actual class meeting. Originally intended to train teachers, students
also benefit from the video. Show this video at the end of your
class meeting training week as a review and to show students two
sample meetings in action. See the “For More Info...” section for
information on how to order the video.
The following are the class meeting procedures outlined in the
video.
Class meeting procedures
1. The student who placed the item on the agenda defines the
incident.
2. Ask other students if they have any information about this
incident. No names are to be given. “Is that accurate?” Obtain
clarification. Classmates may ask questions or give input to
achieve clarification.
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
17
3. Omit #3 and #4. Ask the accused what should happen, give a
logical consequence. (This is a face-saving device; it also gives the
accused empowerment in solving the problem.)
4. Class vote: How many agree with
? If the majority agree,
then proceed to Number 8 below. If the majority disagree, then
proceed as follows.
5. No names will be used. Add: Review the four R’s of logical
consequences. Other suggestions: The class brainstorms three
other logical consequences, of which one will be selected as the
most helpful for the student named.
6. The teacher reads each consequence to the class to make sure
everyone understands what they are to vote on. The vote is
then taken by a show of hands. Students vote for only one
suggestion. Advise students to select the consequence that they
consider most helpful and not the most hurtful. Discourage
popularity votes.
7. The teacher declares the class decision. The accused is/are given
a limited choice, for example, “John, do you want to sit out
this afternoon’s recess or tomorrow morning’s?” The concept of
limited choice is to have the offender involved in the decisionmaking process, and also owning the responsibility. The result
is listed on a classroom chart to be referred to when the incident
arises again. The teacher deals with the misbahving student on
a one-to-one basis later and not in front of the class. Continue
with: The misbehaving student is given...” Replace the word
“problem” with incident.
8. Discuss helpful hints or tips. These suggestions help students
avoid the incident if it occurs again.
9. Next agenda item.
18
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Conclusion
Be risk-takers—hold class meetings. Both you and your students
will greatly benefit from them. Your class meetings may not go
smoothly at first. But hang in there. Keep plugging. It won’t work if
you don’t try. Good luck!
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
19
For more info . . .
Bibliography
Allan, J., and J. Nairne. 1993. Class Discussions for Teachers and
Counsellors in Elementary Schools. 2d ed. Toronto: Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education.
Bubbico, M., F. Meder and J. Platt. “General Guidelines for
Meetings.” Unpublished handout. (see writer)
Dreikurs, R., B. Grunwald and F. Pepper. 1982. Maintaining Sanity
in the Classroom: Classroom Management Techniques. New York:
Harper & Row.
Krenz, D., and D. MacDougall. 1984. 25 Classroom Activities to
Change the World Through Encouragement: A Manual for Teachers
Counsellors and Principals. Edmonton: K. & M. Enterprises.
Meder, F. J. 1982. “Why Class Meetings?” Individual Psychology 38,
no. 2: 173–82.
Meder, F. J. “Class Meeting Video with Frank Meder.”
Nelsen, J. 1982. Positive Discipline. Fair Oaks, Calif.: Adlerian
Counselling Center.
Nelsen, J., L. Lott and S. H. Glenn. 1993. Positive Discipline in the
Classroom: How to Effectively Use Class Meetings and Other Positive
Discipline Strategies. Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing.
Nelsen, J., 1996. et al. Positive Discipline: A Teacher’s A–Z Guide.
Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing.
To order Frank Meder’s video on Classroom Meetings, please call
1-916-797-1100. The video costs US $50.00 (plus shipping and
handling). Schools can leave a message with the school name,
address and a purchase order number. The video will be shipped
and billed to the school.
For more information on class meetings, to order a copy of a
handout with general guidelines or to book a workshop on class
meetings, contact Gene Gauthier at St. Matthew School, 8735 132
Avenue, Edmonton AB T5E 0X7; phone (780) 473-6575 or fax
(780) 478-6031.
20
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
Websites
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
www.sacsc.ca
Alberta Education
//ednet.edc.gov.ab.ca/safeschools/content.html
Tri-faculty Research
(The Faculties of Education from the Universities of Lethbridge,
Calgary and Alberta):
www.education.ualberta.ca/educ/research/tri-fac/tri-fac.html
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
21
The Society for Safe and Caring
Schools and Communities
Resources
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities’ resources and materials
are available through Alberta Learning’s Resources Centre (LRC), 12360 142 St.
NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5L 4X9. Tel: 427-5775 in Edmonton. Elsewhere in Alberta
call 310-0000 and ask for the LRC or fax (780) 422-9750. To place Internet orders,
visit www.lrc.learning.gov.ab.ca *These materials are eligible for the Learning
Resources Credit Allocation (25% discount). Contact the LRC for details. The
Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities has four program areas and
an inventory of promotional items:
I. SUPPORTING A SAFE AND CARING SCHOOL
This program area helps build a SACS culture. It includes information about SACS,
an assessment tool to aid in planning and quick, easy-to-read booklets that review
current research on SACS topics and successful programs.
□ Safe and Caring Schools in Alberta Presentation:
Includes Video, overheads and brochures. LRC # 455297
□ The SACSC: An Overview (K–12) (Pkg of 30)
Overview of SACSC programming. (2001, 4 pp.) LRC # 445298
$25.00 ea
$15.00 ea
□ Attributes of a Safe and Caring School (K–12) (Pkg of 30)
A brochure for elementary, junior and senior high schools, describing the
$15.00 ea
characteristics of a safe and caring school. (1999) LRC # 445313
□ The SACSC: Elementary Booklet Series (16 booklets) (K–6)
(see LRC website) LRC # 445610
$50.00 ea
□ The SACSC: Secondary Booklet Series (15 booklets) (7–12)
(see LRC website) LRC # 445628
$50.00 ea
□ Preschool Bullying: What You Can Do About It—A Guide for Parents and
Caregivers (1–6)
Advice on what parents can do if their child is being bullied or is bullying others
(2000, 24 pp.) LRC # 445347 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Bullying: What You Can Do About It—A Guide for Primary Level Students
(K–3) Contains stories and exercises to help children deal with bullies and to stop
bullying others (1999, 28 pp.) LRC # 445397 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Bullying: What You Can Do About It—A Guide for Parents and Teachers of
Primary Level Students
Tips to help teachers and parents identify and respond to children who are
involved in bullying (2000, 12 pp.) LRC # 445454 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Bullying: What You Can Do About It—A Guide for Upper-Elementary
Students and Their Parents
Directed at students who are the victims, witnesses or perpetrators of bullying,
and their parents (2000, 16 pp.) LRC # 445321 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
22
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
□ Bullying in Schools: What You Can Do About It—A Teacher’s Guide (1–6)
Describes strategies that teachers can follow to stop bullying in schools (1997)
LRC # 445339 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Beyond Bullying: A Booklet for Junior High Students (7–9)
Explains what students should do if they are being bullied or if they see someone
else being bullied (2000) LRC #445470 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00ea
□ Beyond Bullying: What You Can Do To Help—A Handbook for Parents and
Teachers of Junior High Students (7–9)
Defines bullying behaviours and suggests strategies that parents and teachers
can follow to deal with it (1999, 16 pp.) LRC #445488 $4.00 ea for 10+ $5.00 ea
□ Bullying is Everybody’s Problem: Do You Have the Courage to Stop It?
(Pkg of 30) (7–12) A brochure for senior high students, defines bullying and
provides advice on how to respond to it (1999) LRC # 445305
$15.00/pkg
□ Bullying and Harassment: Everybody’s Problem—A Senior High Staff and
Parent Resource (10–12)
Provides advice for parents and teachers of high school students on how to deal
with bullying (2000, 12 pp.) LRC # 445496 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools (K–12)
Explains how regular class meetings can help teachers and students work out
conflicts before they become major problems (1998, 20 pp) LRC # 445587
$4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Expecting Respect: The Peer Education Project—A School-Based Learning
Model (K–12)
Provides an overview of Expecting Respect, a project that trains junior and senior
high students to make classroom presentations on establishing healthy social
relationships (1999, 16 pp.) LRC # 445462 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Safe and Caring Schools: Havens for the Mind (K–12)
Reviews the role of SACS in healthy brain development and learning
LRC # 445503 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Media Violence: The Children Are Watching—A Guide for Parents and
Teachers (K-12)
Contains tips for parents and teachers in countering the effects on children of
media violence (1999, 12 pp.) LRC # 445511 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Peer Support and Student Leadership Programs (K-12)
Describes effective peer support programming for various grade levels.
(2000, 30 pp.) LRC # 445503 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Niska News (K–12)
A collection of articles about SACS reprinted from The ATA News (1999, 36 pp.)
LRC # 445529 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
□ Principals’ Best (K–12)
Describes activities and strategies that various schools in the province have
undertaken to create a safe and caring environment for students (1999, 16 pp.)
LRC # 445545 $4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00 ea
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
23
□ Volunteer Mentorship Programs: (K–12)
Describes a number of successful programs in which adult volunteers were
assigned to serve as mentors to school-aged children (2000, 28 pp.) # 445579
$4.00 ea for 10+
$5.00ea
□ Volunteer Mentorship Program: (K–12)
A video portrays programs in which adults from the community work with children
to help them develop various skills (1999, 9 ½ min.) LRC # 445602
$ 7.00 ea
□ Volunteer Mentorship Program: A Practical Handbook (includes 3.5” disk)
(K–12) Explains how to set up programs in which adults serve as mentors to
school-aged children (1999, 44 pp. plus a computer disk containing sample
documents used in the program) LRC # 445595
$10.00 ea
II. TOWARD A SAFE AND CARING CURRICULUM—
RESOURCES FOR INTEGRATION
These resources are recommended and approved by Alberta Learning. They
integrate violence prevention into all subjects K–6 and are divided into five topics:
(approximately 85 pp.)
1. Building a Safe and Caring Classroom/Living Respectfully
2. Developing Self-Esteem
3. Respecting Diversity and Preventing Prejudice
4. Managing Anger and Dealing with Bullying and Harassment
5. Working It Out Together/Resolving Conflicts Peacefully
Student resource sheets are available in French. To order, check (F).
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
□ # 445446
□ # 445371
□ # 445389
□ # 445404
□ # 445412
□ # 445420
□ # 445438
F□
F□
F□
F□
F□
F□
F□
(Out of Province $69.00)
(Out of Province $69.00)
(Out of Province $69.00)
(Out of Province $69.00)
(Out of Province $69.00)
(Out of Province $69.00)
(Out of Province $69.00)
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00
□ Anti-Bullying Curriculum Materials: Social Studies Grades 10, 11, 12
Developed by Project Ploughshares Calgary, this booklet contains a series of
exercises that teachers can use to incorporate the topic of bullying into the high
school social studies curriculum (1999, 81 pp.) LRC # 445563
$10.00 ea
□ Classroom Management: A Thinking and Caring Approach Written by Barrie
Bennett and Peter Smilanich, this manual outlines numerous strategies that
teachers can use to cope with misbehaviour in the classroom and create a
learning environment that encourages student learning (1994, 342 pp.)
LRC # 445660
$31.60 ea
□ SACSC series of six full-color posters
A series of six full-color posters highlighting the key SACSC concepts.
LRC # 444836
$ 9.00 ea
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
24
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
III. TOWARD A SAFE AND CARING PROFESSION
SACSC trains inservice leaders and workshop facilitators. The following workshops
are designed to help teachers implement the curriculum resources.
□ Toward a Safe and Caring Curriculum—ATA Resources for Integration:
Kindergarten to Grade 6*
□ Toward a Safe and Caring Secondary Curriculum—Approaches for
Integration*
IV. TOWARD A SAFE AND CARING COMMUNITY
This program area is designed to help all adults who work with children—parents,
teachers, coaches, youth group leaders, music instructors—model and reinforce
positive social behaviour, whether at school, at home or in the community. The
community program includes a series of 2-2½ hour workshops for adults and older
teens.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Living Respectfully*
Developing Self-Esteem*
Respecting Diversity and Preventing Prejudice*
Managing Anger*
Dealing with Bullying*
Working It Out Together — Resolving Conflicts Peacefully*
□ Who Cares? Posters (Pkg of 30) LRC # 444654
$ 9.80 ea
□ Who Cares? CD-ROM and brochure
Describes the Safe and Caring Communities Project, a collaborative effort
between the ATA and the Lions Clubs of Alberta (1998) LRC # 444646
$ 4.35 ea
□ Who Cares? video and brochure
Describes the Safe and Caring Communities Project, community program
$ 5.95 ea
(1997, 11 minutes) LRC # 444638
□ Toward a Safe and Caring Community Workshops Action Handbook: A
Guide to Implementation
Provides specific information about how to implement the ATA’s Safe and Caring
Schools Project—Toward a Safe and Caring Community Program. In addition, the
handbook provides suggested activities and strategies to help communities
continue to work on issues related to enhancing respect and responsibility among
$ 7.00 ea
children and teens. LRC # 455304
□ Violence-Prevention Catalogue of Alberta Agencies’ Resources
Compilation of the information that was gathered from over 200 organizations and
community groups who work in the area of violence prevention, and with children
and youth in character development through community leadership.
LRC # 455312
$ 7.00 ea
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
Class Meetings for Safe and Caring Schools
25
SACSC PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
□ SACSC cards with color logo and envelopes (Pkg of 40)
Blank card and envelope, featuring the SACSC logo LRC # 444547
$ 10.00 ea
□ Niska hand puppet Featuring the Niska mascotLRC # 444555
$ 14.00 ea
□ Niska labels (800 peel & stick labels per pkg) Featuring the Niska mascot
# 444571
$ 4.00 ea
□ Niska mouse pad 8 ½” by 9 ½” featuring the Niska mascot
LRC # 444563
$6.00 ea
□ Niska tattoos (125 per pkg) A 1½” by 1½” temporary tattoo featuring Niska
$23.40 ea
LRC # 444597
□ Niska water bottles (5 per pkg) 5 white plastic water bottles featuring the Niska
logo LRC # 444612
$ 8.50 ea
□ Niska zipper pulls (5 per pkg) Bronze, featuring the Safe and Caring Schools
Logo LRC # 444589
$ 7.75 ea
□ SACSC award buttons (Pkg of 30–2 ¼” buttons) LRC # 444620
□ SACSC coffee mug LRC # 444604
$ 10.00 ea
$ 5.45 ea
□ Safe and Caring Schools and Communities pencils (Pkg of 30)
Inscribed with “Toward a Safe and Caring Community” LRC # 444662 $10.70 ea
□ Niska T-Shirt (white, featuring the Niska mascot front and back)
□ LRC # 444745 adult X-large;
□ LRC # 444737 adult large;
□ LRC # 444729 adult medium;
□ LRC # 444711 adult small;
□ LRC # 444703 youth X-large;
□ LRC # 444696 youth large;
□ LRC # 444688 youth medium;
□ LRC # 444670 youth small
$10.50 ea
□ SACSC men’s golf shirt (white, featuring the Niska mascot)
□ LRC # 444787 X-large;
□ LRC # 444779 large;
□ LRC # 444761 medium;
□ LRC # 444753 small
$24.95 ea
□ SACSC women’s golf shirt
(white, sleeveless, featuring the Niska mascot)
□ LRC # 444828 X-large;
□ LRC # 444810 large;
□ LRC # 444802 medium;
□ LRC # 444795 small
$24.45 ea
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
26
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities
*All workshop materials can be ordered from the SACSC office by
inservice leaders and workshop facilitators who have successfully
completed the training: e-mail office@sacsc.ca, fax (780) 455-6481 or
phone (780) 447-9487.
ISBN 1-897324-14-6